First, let’s get this UK band’s name out the way. “Circu5” is pronounced “circa five,” according to the group. This is their second album. Actually, it’s more like their first album, because the debut from 2017 featured only founder Steve Tilling.
Titled “Clockwork Tulpa“, on this album CIRCU5 blends prog and classic rock influences with evocative songwriting and storytelling. A collection of frenetic, high energy compositions with delicious and catchy hooks and a sound that it’s progressive, but pop-melodic at the same time, with some early It Bites and ’80s rock on it.
On ”Clockwork Tulpa” Tilling is responsible for lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, and keyboards. He’s joined by Mark Kilminster on bass and backing vocals and Lee Moulding on drums, percussion, and backing vocals, whose collective interplay brings both technical precision and emotional depth to every passage. The album also has a handful of guest performers.
The album opens with “Make No Sound,” where a solid, driving rhythm underpins intricate interlaced guitars and keyboards. Tilling’s dynamic vocals alternate between urgent, punchy verses and expansive, melodic refrains, immediately highlighting CIRCU5’ gift for melding memorable hooks with instrumental complexity.
In “Sing Now,” a concise burst of energy unfolds over an urgent, elaborate groove rich with constant metric shifts. Tilling’s voice—enhanced by tasteful effects—soars atop intricate guitar arpeggios, and a succinct yet fiery lead guitar break underscores the band’s knack for delivering intensity without excess.
The mood then softens in “Freakshow Train,” as understated cymbal work and melodic bass lines create an enveloping bed for Tilling’s expressive singing. A lyrical, measured guitar solo toward the end complements the songwriting, showcasing elegance of phrasing over mere technical display.
“Skin Machine” serves as the album’s conceptual centerpiece: gentle, synth‑tinged verses build into a muscular Rock crescendo. Mid‑track, a fiercely intricate instrumental section unfolds, guitar and keys trading angular motifs before giving way to another impassioned vocal climax. This ebb and flow exemplifies modern prog dynamics at their finest.
At just under three minutes, title track “Clockwork Tulpa” functions as a concentrated miniature: tightly wound syncopations and razor‑sharp melodies leave no wasted silence, reinforcing the album’s themes of mechanized precision entwined with organic expression. With “Violet,” CIRCU5 deliver a luminous, guitar‑arpeggio‑driven ballad that merges classic prog textures with contemporary sensibilities. Shimmering keyboard pads and clean guitar tones frame a vocal melody that feels both nostalgic and forward‑looking, offering one of the record’s most affecting moments.
“Change the Weather” is a masterclass in shifting atmospheres: skittering drum rolls give way to spacious, contemplative sections, then resolve into a finale that reprises the main theme with renewed force. Harmonically adventurous yet always coherent, it underscores the band’s talent for narrative songwriting.
As the album’s longest journey, “Don’t Spare Me” unfolds in multiple movements. It begins with a haunting, minor‑key motif—Tilling’s vocals raw and intimate over sparse accompaniment—before accumulating layers of counter‑melodic bass, syncopated drum figures and arcing guitar lines. A full‑blown Prog‑Metal surge erupts, only to dissolve into a serene piano‑and‑voice coda, illustrating CIRCU5’ mastery of tension and release.
The closing piece, “Scars,” retreats into reflection: bittersweet guitar themes are colored by a surprise saxophone cameo, infusing a smoky, Jazz‑tinged hue. A brief, fiery guitar solo punctuates the middle before receding to the plaintive main melody, ending the album on a note that is both hopeful and tinged with lingering melancholy.
“Clockwork Tulpa” confirms CIRCU5 as one of modern progressive rock’s most compelling voices: a mature, cohesive work in which complexity and catchiness coexist.
Highly recommended for those who seek both virtuoso musicianship and genuine emotional resonance.
1. Make No Sound
2. Sing Now
3. Freakshow Train
4. Skin Machine
5. Infinite Lucid Geometric Fever Dream
6. Clockwork Tulpa
7. Violet
8. Change the Weather
9. Don’t Spare Me
10. Scars
CIRCU5 – Clockwork Tulpa 2025, MP3+FLAC
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